>>> Amelia Cuni - Werner Durand

ASHTAYAMA - Song of Hours

Terry Riley, composer, says about ASHTAYAMA´s music:
'' ASTHAYAMA is a powerful and moving work. A fragrant garland of ragas progresses through the time periods of the day and night revealing the subtle shades of color and mood which are at the heart of the treasured tradition of Dhrupad music. In ASHTAYAMA, tradition and experimentation reach a fine tuned balance contributing to a new viewpoint of an ancient form.''

David Toop, musican and writer, comments :
''...Dhrupad´s austerity would seem to run in opposition to much experimental music, yet this collaboration between Amelia and Werner Durand celebrates restraint and precision as positive virtues, creating a spare, beautiful music that glows with purpose and clarity. Listening to the final piece, "Deep Night", I hear a music of mysterious force that moves beyond the fusions of the past, holding ancient and future in precarious balance. Its breathy pulsations, swooping melismas and perspectival illusions construct and decompose an intangible maze of shadowy pathways in which new identities flutter with new life. ''

The title ASHTAYAMA refers to the ancient tradition, inherited from the rituals of the Hindu temples, dividing the daily cycle into 8 time belts of 3 hours each. The musical modes, called ragas, are chosen according to this subdivision. A similar relationship between music and natural cycles is manifest in the European Book of Hours, the monastic daily liturgy practised since medieval times.
In the live performance, eight songs follow the natural unfolding of the daily cycle through various shades of light and darkness; reflecting on the moods and rituals of life´s cycles; exploring the manifold aspects and hues of daily actions.
The interplay of music and light is obviously very relevant to the theme of this work and becomes an integral part of the performance.

The CD (ARNR 0299) is released on AMIATA Rec, Florence 2000.

ASHTAYAMA-Song of Hours is an ongoing and flexible project which can take on different shapes, mix various media and be adapted to given venues.
Existing versions are the following:

>concert, including Amelia Cuni (singing and dance) and Werner Durand (live-mixing) with video by Yvonne Mohr and light design by Fred Pommerehn

>music/theatre performance, with a stage-set/installation by Fred Pommerehn.

>multimedia performance, with interactive video projections and live mixing by Uli Sigg

>encounter with the European tradition relating to the 'Book of Hours', in collaboration with the Schola Cantorum from Nürnberg and a light/stage design by Fred Pommerehn

In the multimedia version with video artist ULI SIGG, the stage consists of a simple cylindrical structure, about 4 m high, of extremely light, transparent material acting as projection surface. The cloth is kept into position by two aluminium rings, 5 m in diameter.
Uli Sigg uses video sequences and loops mixing them live according to the flow of the music. He works with an especially designed interactive computer program, adding cohesion and flexibility to the visuals, leading each time to a new, fresh artistic outcome.
The variety of light changes and intense atmospheres created with the help of live video mixing, provide a fascinating space into which the audience is drawn. The circle becomes symbolic for a place of transformation, in which different time perceptions confront each other, East and West find a common ground for dialogue. It can also be perceived as a space for intimacy and concentration, possibly offering a new awareness and interpretation of ritual.

The music by Amelia Cuni and Werner Durand uses Indian music forms in fluid, non-conventional ways. Amelia´s vocal renditions and improvisations interact with Werner´s live multitrack mixing of her pre-recorded voice. No electronic effects alter its natural character though loops and digital delays are employed to create melodic / rhythmic patterns and drones. This project celebrates the voice as an instrument of great evocative power.

ASHTAYAMA-SONG OF HOURS has been produced and premiered at Podewil in Berlin (Dec. 3rd-5th,1999) and at the ZKM in Karlsruhe (Jan. 28th-30th, 2000). This original version had: video by Lillevän and light/stage design by Fred Pommerehn, direction by Claudio De Maglio.
The concert version has been performed at the Institute for Contemporary Arts in London (June 24th, 2001); at the Tropical Museum in Amsterdam (Nov.24th, 2001).

During 2002, concerts in Torrelavega/Spain for the festival EXPERIMENTA 21 (March20th) and in Rio de Janeiro/Brazil at CCBB (Aug. 20th).
New productions at the Altstadtfest in Düsseldorf (TANZHAUS, Sept.25th 2002) with video artist Uli Sigg. On Oct.12th at the church St.Egidien in Nürnberg, there will be a joint performance of ASHTAYAMA and songs from the European Book of Hours interpreted by the Early Music vocal ensemble SCHOLA CANTORUM NÜRNBERG and in collaboration with Fred Pommerehn (light/stage design) at the Werkstatt der Kulturen in Berlin (Nov.15th-16th).

On February 22nd 2003, Ashtayama with Uli Sigg will be presented at the IJsbreker in Amsterdam and on August 10th at the AKADEMIE DER KÜNSTE in Berlin (Conceptualisms Festival). During September 2003 concerts in Brisbane, Australia (POWERHOUSE, 3rd-4th 5th Sept.) and Wellington, New Zealand, at the Cathedral Festival (to be confirmed).
An Indian tour is in preparation for January 2004; participation to the New Music festival OTHER MINDS in S.Francisco, USA, in March 2004.

Press reviews are available in the PRESS section

>>>Short biographies

AMELIA CUNI
was born in Milan and lived in India for more than 10 years studying dhrupad singing from renowned masters (i.e. R.Fahimuddin Dagar and Bidur Mallik, Pt. Dilip Chandra Vedi). She received a three year scholarship from the indian government. She performs internationally: i.e. solo concerts at the House of World Cultures, Podewil and Schauspielhaus in Berlin, Gasteig in Munich, Zentrum f.Kunst u.Medientechnologie in Karlsruhe, Barbican Centre and Purcell Room in London, Nehru Centre in Bombay, Kamani and I.I.C. in N.Delhi.
Her music is featured on two solo CDs and in several collaborations. She has recorded for radio and TV productions. Amelia's projects are of traditional and experimental orientation as well. She collaborates with artists from various backgrounds (Early and New Music, electronica, ambient, experimental, jazz, folk, dance and theatre.) With her own works she has taken part in international festivals in the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, Spain, India, China. Together with Werner Durand she has been awarded an ARTIST IN RESIDENCE grant at the PODEWIL-Zentrum für Aktuelle Kunst, in Berlin for 1999. They have been part of the Festival of Vision 2000-Berlin in Hong Kong.
She has conceived and performs in the multimedia opera ASHTAYAMA-Song of Hours, co-produced by Podewil-Berlin and ZKM-Karlsruhe. Composers like Terry Riley, Roland Pfrengle, Chico Mello, Fernando Grillo, have written for her voice. She has collaborated on experimental projects with David Toop, Paul Schütze, David Moss a.o.
She teaches Indian singing at the Conservatorio di Vicenza. Since 1992, she is based in Berlin .

WERNER DURAND
performs his own music for saxophones, Iranian ney, and self-made wind instruments since the late seventies.
He studied with Ariel Kalma in Paris, Indian classical music in India and Berlin (with Kamalesh Maitra) and Iranian ney with Ali Reza Asgharia.
He started to build wind instruments out of plexi-glass and PVC in the early 80s, which led to the foundation of THE THIRTEENTH TRIBE in 1990.
His current projects include ASHTAYAMA with Dhrupad singer Amelia Cuni; RE/ORIENTATION with Amelia Cuni and percussionist Marika Falk; the BEATLESS SAX O´DRONES, a sax quartet specialising in just intonation; and the group ARMCHAIR TRAVELLER with Sebastian Hilken (cello and percussion), Hella v. Ploetz (glassharp) and Silvia Ocougne(ac.guitars).
Werner Durand has collaborated with numerous composers/performers including David Behrman, Samm Bennett, Fast Forward, David Moss, Fatima Miranda, Muslimgauze,Henning Christiansen, Dominique Regef as well as with visual/ sound artists Michaela Kölmel, Victor Merteens, Andreas Oldörp and Rolf Julius. He was a member of Arnold Dreyblatt´s Orchestra of Excited Strings from 1990-1997.
In 1989 he received a grant from the city of Berlin for the Cité des Arts, Paris.
He was granted a residency at Podewil (Berlin) for 1999 together with Amelia Cuni. He has collaborated in the organization of festivals of traditional as well as avant-garde music in Berlin like "Urbane und Aboriginale", "Pipeline" and USArts.
Performing worldwide, he participates in international festival and cultural exchange programs, also through the Goethe Insitut.
He has composed music for theater, dance and radio features, has released a solo CD and several collaborations.

ULI SIGG
lives in Cologne, Germany, and works within temporary
project partnerships with other musicians and artists from all around the world. To this end he co-founded Club-Orch ID, a creative pool of artists, musicians, philosophers and scientists, and has become a pioneer of this new art form which has grown out of the rave, ambient and dance-club cultures. Sigg calls his own work "visual sampling" and uses as his raw material video images which are blown up, cut to pieces, reordered and reassembled. The results, says Sigg, are visual ciphers, codes and clues to a particular moment, event or experience. His live shows are the visual equivalent of the work of audio Djs who created new sounds by combining those sampled from other sources.
www.ulisigg.de

INSTALLATIONS:

Video-Dia Installation, "visionäre Schweiz", Düsseldorf Kunstpalast (1992) / Hyper-Media, "Casino Container", Mediapark Köln (1993) / Visuelles Bühnenbild, "Die Welt ist immer wieder schön", Bonn Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (1995) / Videoloops, "cult", Jugendmagazin Kabel 1 (1995) / Video-Dia-Licht-Installationen, "4b", Ambientpartys Köln (1995/96) / Visuelles Bühnenbild, "Illusionen oder Das Gelächter der Einsamkeit", Rheinisches Musikfest WDR (1996) / Remix Room "Gallery of Styles", Daimler-Benz, International Motorshow Birmingham (1996) / Videocreation, "Land im Klang", Eröffnung Klangturm St.Pölten (1996) / Video Projektion, "Electric Trick", Kulturamt Köln (1996/1997) / Visuelle Installation "World Music Award", Deutsche Welle (1997/1998) / Video Live-Mixes "Rhythm Nights", on Tour with Laurent Garnier, AdamF, 4Hero, Giles Peterson, Kemistry and Storm (1998) / Video Installation "Ambient " Mercedes-Benz, International Motorshow Tokio (1998) / Building Projections "BELGO", Bristol (1998), New York (1999) // Video Live-Mixes "Rhythm Nights", on Tour with Lamb, Jimi Tenor, Roni Size, DJ Die, Kid Loco (1999) / 7Lichtinstallationen "Engelspfad" Wien (1999) / Panorama Projektion, "mondecho" St. Pölten (1999) / "Milenium" Lichtinstallation Kölner Dom (1999) / Video Installation "Virtual Shower" Lab 01 Expo 2000 by Atelier Markgraph (2000) / Video Live-Mixes "Rhythm Nights", on Tour with Nightmares on Wax, Rockers Hifi, Ian Pooley, Artfull Dodger, Jazzanova (2000) / Cinema Mix "Radical Architectur", Museum fuer angewandte Kunst Koeln ( 2000) / Live Mix Installation "2Step", Wallraf Richardz Museum (2000) / Film Remix Freske "Filmstiftung", Berlinale 2002 / Video Live Mix "Quam", Cebit 2002

VIDEO PRODUCTIONS

"DAYZ GONE", Doppelgänger, Groove Attack (1996) / "my resting place", Karma, Groove Attack (1997) / "Fuer Dancefloor", Eric D. Clark, Ladomat (1998) / "Slaves", Quintana Roo, royal family (1998) / "Thrillseeking" Karma, Groove Attack (1999) / "Solar Moon", Solar Moon System , Rainhorse ( 2000)

SHORTFILMS

"Der Spaziergang", (1986) / "Dreifach", (1987), / "Die 90 Sekunden von Sodom", (1990) / "Filmfaxe", (1991) / "XXX", (1993) / "Out", (1994) /

FRED POMMEREHN
is light and stage designer. He has established himself in Europe and America as a highly original and skilled artist . In the U.S.A., he has been included in the TOP TEN young designers list for 1990.
He has already collaborated with many well known international artists (i.e. Shelley Hirsh, Hans Peter Kuhn, David Moss, Ofra Doudayi etc.) with whom he has realized performances and installations at important theatres and events like the `Wiener Festwochen´ , Ijsbreker Amsterdam, Hebbel Theater and Festspielhaus in Berlin...
From 1993 to 1997 has realized with Arnold Dreyblatt the monumental installation and hypertext performance `Memory Arena´, presented in several major European venues, i.e. `Copenhagen, cultural capital of Europe 1996´, Marstall Theater in Munich etc.
He has made stage/light design for contemporary music productions by composers such as S.Sciarrino, K.H.Stockhausen and R.Pfrengle.
Since 1987, he lives in Berlin.